Principles of Planning

PRINCIPLES OF PLANNING
PLANNING
 Planning of the building is an art combined with science.
 Creation of a desired environment inside as well as outside

the building, keeping in view utility, form and aesthetics is
the main concern of an architect and a civil engineer.
 Basic materials used for several buildings may be the same,

but there are certain buildings which please every observer
because of their design, liveliness, beauty and utility.
 Planning of a building broadly depends upon:

 (i) Its geographical and climate conditions.
 (ii) Purpose for which it is to be used.

PRINCIPLES OF PLANNING
 Orientation  Roominess
 Aspect  Flexibility
 Prospect  Privacy
 Grouping  Sanitation
 Circulation  Elegance
 Economy
ORIENTATION
 Orientationmeans setting out the plan of the
building with respect to north-south and east-west
directions
 Followingare some of the suggestion for good

orientation of buildings
1. Cross 5. Roof
ventilation
2. Damp proof 6. Treatment of ground
coarse
3. Placing of walls 7. Wind direction
4. Projections
ORIENTATION
 The following suggestions should be kept in mind in the

orientation of a building in India:
 (a) Place long walls towards north-south and short
walls in east-west directions so as to reduce the area

exposed to direct sun rays.
 (b) Provide verandah and balcony on east and west.
 (c) Provide chajjas on doors and windows on southern

side to protect them from sun’s rays.
ASPECT
 It is defined as the arrangements of doors and windows

in the external walls to take maximum advantage of
natural gifts such as sunlight and wind or breeze.
 It is the placement of various rooms of a building in

accordance with various activities meant to be
performed there at different times of the day.
 Aspect should be such that rays of sun reach all the

rooms during some period of the day.
 This term has nothing to do with the architectural

aspect of outlook of building.
ASPECT
 The following are the required aspects for various parts

of the building in the northern hemisphere of earth:
 (a) Kitchen–eastern aspect.
 (b) Dining room–southern aspect to enjoy winter sun.
 (c) Drawing and living room–southern or south-eastern
aspect to enjoy winter sun.

 (d) Bed rooms–western or south-western aspect to enjoy
breeze in summer.
 (e) Reading room, class room, stairs, northern aspect to
enjoy diffused light.

PROSPECT
 Prospect signifies the outside view of the building as
seen from the windows and doors in external walls.
 It is about locating and selecting types of doors and

windows so as to reveal pleasant features and conceal
undesirable features of the buildings from a person
viewing from outside.
GROUPING
 Grouping means disposition of various rooms in the building for
the convenience of users and their utility.
 Arrangement of various rooms with reference to their relatedness

of functions is called grouping.
 Grouping in different types of buildings vary due to different

nature of functions.
 For instance dining room or dining space should be close to the

kitchen.
 Bedroom should have sanitary arrangements nearby.
 The corridor area in a house should be minimum and well

ventilated.
CIRCULATION
 Circulation means the space to be provided for movement

from room to room or floor to floor.
 The external an internal movement of persons, vehicles and

good in and around a building is referred to as circulation.
 It depends upon the function of the building and on the way
the spaces are arranged, along which movement of person or
vehicles or both takes place. It usually follows a regular and
recurring pattern.
 Different circulation patterns have been observed for

different buildings:
(i) Horizontal Circulation Pattern:
(ii) Vertical Circulation Pattern
HORIZONTAL CIRCULATION PATTERN
 Movement occurs on a horizontal plane.

 Passages, lobbies, halls provided serve horizontal
circulation
 It can again be of various types—Linear, bilinear,
peripheral, trilinear, peripheral, tetralinear peripheral,
linear spiral, bilinear spinal, trilinear and tetralinear
spiral, centrifugal spinal or circular pattern
VERTICAL CIRCULATION PATTERN
 This refers to the mass movements taking place

through stairs, lifts or other mechanized means in
multi-storeyed buildings.
 In contrast to horizontal circulation pattern, here a

third dimension of height is added.
 True vertical circulation pattern would follow only in

some tower like building, say Qutab Minar.
 In others, it is a hybrid pattern ,a combination of

horizontal pattern repeated at certain vertical interval.
CIRCULATION
The following points should be considered in planning

circulation:
(a) They should be straight.
(b) They should be sufficient.
(c) They should be sufficiently lighted and ventilated.
(d) Stairs should be easily accessible to all the users.
(e) Sanitary services should have access for every user
through passage lobby.
ROOMINESS
 It refers to suitable proportioning of length, width

and height of rooms in the building to get maximum
benefit from the minimum dimensions.
 Length to width ratio should be 1.2 to 1.5. If it is
nearly square lot of area is wasted for movement,
while, it is more than 1.5, it gives the ‘tunnel’ effect.
 Doors for rooms should be properly located so that
utility and privacy are maximum.
 Cupboards and lofts should be provided to increase
roominess.
 Proper colours to wall and floor also give roominess
effect. Light colour gives effect of more space.
FLEXIBILITY
 This aspect of planning means a room designed for a

specific purpose should be possible to use for other
purposes, if necessary.
 A study room may be planned for using as a guest room.
 If partition is provided between living room and dining

room, it is possible to remove partition and use living
room plus dining room for the family functions.
 If independent access is given to backyard from
kitchen, backyard can be used for dinner functions.
Thus in planning flexibility also should be considered.
PRIVACY
 Planning should take care of privacy of one room from
other room in a building as well as some parts of a
building from neighboring buildings and from streets.
 It is ensured by proper grouping of rooms and by

suitably providing doors, windows and ventilators.
 Planning the entrance at appropriate position also

contributes a lot in providing privacy.
SANITATION
 Planning for proper sanitation includes consideration for
1. Lighting
2. Ventilation
3. Cleanliness
taken together.
LIGHTING FACILITIES
 Proper lighting in various rooms of the building needs
to be planned, which depends on the aspect.
 Natural light in the form of sunlight not only helps in

economizing the cost, but also helps in destroying
various germs.
 The minimum size of the window required in dry and

humid climatic regions vary, being 1/10th of the floor
area, respectively.
 Light and soft shades for ceilings and walls of passages

and rooms help in better reflection, hence improved
lighting.
LIGHTING FACILITIES
 Artificial lighting is also required for illuminating
different buildings and different units within a
building.
 Lighting should be pleasant and should not produce a

glare.
 Vertical windows help in better light inception.
 The number, size and placement of windows mainly

control the entry of sunlight into the rooms.
VENTILATION FACILITIES
 The system of openings in a building that supplies as well as
removes air by natural or mechanical means and creates
circulation of air leading to comfortable conditions is called
ventilation.
 Orientation of the building and location of windows,

ventilators and doors together create the ventilation system.
 Natural ventilation can be made use of by placing the

windows and ventilators opposite to each other in a house or a
flat.
 The openings should not be less than 1/4th the surface area of
that side of the room which faces an open space.
 In more densely populated buildings, artificial ventilation by

means of exhaust or other mechanical means becomes a
compulsion.
SANITARY FACILITIES
 Proper sanitary facilities, bathrooms, drainage

and water proof tiles etc., should be provided
along with precision for regular cleaning.
 Requirements of water for different urinals and

bathrooms should be carefully followed.
 Manholes, rain water pipes, water supply,

ventilation pipe etc., should be carefully planned
and leakages on wall must be prevented.
ELEGANCE
 Elegance means general effect produced for a viewer

from outside.
 It depends upon proper positioning of doors, windows,

ventilators, chajjas, balconies etc.
 Elevations should be attractive. The width, height and

the projections in the building contribute a lot for the
elegance.
 Taj Mahal is an example famous for its elegance.

ECONOMY
 Economy without sacrificing comfort, conveniences and
durability is another basic principle of planning a
building.
 For this circulation area should be minimised.
 Materials should be so selected that maintenance cost is

minimized.

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PRINCIPLES OF PLANNING

 Planning of the building is an art combined with science.

 Creation of a desired environment inside as well as outside

 Basic materials used for several buildings may be the same,

 Planning of a building broadly depends upon:

 (ii) Purpose for which it is to be used.

 Followingare some of the suggestion for good

 The following suggestions should be kept in mind in the

walls in east-west directions so as to reduce the area

 (c) Provide chajjas on doors and windows on southern

 It is defined as the arrangements of doors and windows

 It is the placement of various rooms of a building in

 Aspect should be such that rays of sun reach all the

 This term has nothing to do with the architectural

 The following are the required aspects for various parts

 (b) Dining room–southern aspect to enjoy winter sun.

 (c) Drawing and living room–southern or south-eastern

aspect to enjoy winter sun.

enjoy diffused light.

 It is about locating and selecting types of doors and

 Arrangement of various rooms with reference to their relatedness

 Grouping in different types of buildings vary due to different

 For instance dining room or dining space should be close to the

 Bedroom should have sanitary arrangements nearby.

 The corridor area in a house should be minimum and well

 Circulation means the space to be provided for movement

 The external an internal movement of persons, vehicles and

 Different circulation patterns have been observed for

 Movement occurs on a horizontal plane.

 This refers to the mass movements taking place

 In contrast to horizontal circulation pattern, here a

 True vertical circulation pattern would follow only in

 In others, it is a hybrid pattern ,a combination of

The following points should be considered in planning

 It refers to suitable proportioning of length, width

 This aspect of planning means a room designed for a

 If partition is provided between living room and dining

 It is ensured by proper grouping of rooms and by

 Planning the entrance at appropriate position also

 Planning for proper sanitation includes consideration for

 Natural light in the form of sunlight not only helps in

 The minimum size of the window required in dry and

 Light and soft shades for ceilings and walls of passages

 Lighting should be pleasant and should not produce a

 Vertical windows help in better light inception.

 The number, size and placement of windows mainly

 Orientation of the building and location of windows,

 Natural ventilation can be made use of by placing the

 In more densely populated buildings, artificial ventilation by

 Proper sanitary facilities, bathrooms, drainage

 Requirements of water for different urinals and

 Manholes, rain water pipes, water supply,

 Elegance means general effect produced for a viewer

 It depends upon proper positioning of doors, windows,

 Elevations should be attractive. The width, height and

 Taj Mahal is an example famous for its elegance.

 For this circulation area should be minimised.

 Materials should be so selected that maintenance cost is

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